Tennis Coaches' Salaries

The Daily Illini put out a list of what the Illinois Fighting Illini coaches make on salary. I guess I was expecting more but I was rather surprised by men's tennis coach Brad Dancer's salary. Of the 19 paid coaches, he is right smack dab in the middle at number 10 with $97, 850. Women's tennis coach Michelle Dasso was right behind him with 86,000.

Maybe this has been discussed here before but it would be interesting to hear what the other coaches around the country make. I would imagine it would be more than what Dancer and Dasso are making but who knows. I might be surprised.

WAAAAY ridiculously overpaid!
The person who summarized the Germany EColi outbreak and determined the US stance, which affects every single US citizen, makes just that.
Who is more important? YOUR health, or a tennis coach for Ill.

WAAAAY ridiculously overpaid!
The person who summarized the Germany EColi outbreak and determined the US stance, which affects every single US citizen, makes just that.
Who is more important? YOUR health, or a tennis coach for Ill.

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We're comparing sports salaries with sports salaries. Not sure how an EColi Specialist from Germany came into the equation.

Underpaid, I think, based on Dancer's experience and his results. The guy was a legitimate pro for a while. I remember him as a notch above a journeyman.

I'm saying underpaid, also because he could easily be a head pro/director at a club and do just as well...maybe better.

Now, I'm guessing there are some perks over and above that salary. Good benefits, state employee pension, expenses, housing, etc. If so, $97K is nice. Plus, he gets to make a few grand per week at summer camp and with lessons. Not a bad gig.

Their salaries will be going down, or disappearing entirely. Obama outlined in a speech at U of Michigan early this year his plan to modify the Affordability in Higher Education Act. It will require colleges to keep their tuition cost increases below a set level, or they will lose their federal funding, including aid grants. A number of universities and colleges have already elimininated tennis and other sports that produce negative revenue and create expenses for the schools. More will follow in this course when they start to see their federal grants threatened. Sounds a little heavy handed but I give Obama props for this one, as higher education has simply become unaffordable for too many. The growth of competition from online education will also lead colleges to eliminate money losing programs like the minor sports.

They are very much on the high end, many lower D1 coaches are lucky to make $40K and be considered full-time.
La Tech for instance still does not have a head coach and it has been posted since July, but they have only had it as a part-time gig and pay of maybe $19K, which is a joke for a D1 program.

What it does not include is any additional monies from camps they run or attend and IF they get anything from the Nike or adidas......and for that I would bet none other the very very top would get anything.

WAAAAY ridiculously overpaid!
The person who summarized the Germany EColi outbreak and determined the US stance, which affects every single US citizen, makes just that.
Who is more important? YOUR health, or a tennis coach for Ill.

Any decent tennis player, 4.5 and above, can coach tennis, a GAME.
Would you trust a college student to determine the course of action of your future?

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Coaching salaries are inflated naturally in the same way CEOs are. They take what they can thinking that it could very well be their last high paying position. What would you want if it were possibly the last job you ever had?

To me, $100k is very low for Illinois. I'd want near 250 to provide security for my family. Unless his wife is also working, he won't be able to retire comfortably for many years. If I made 250 for 10 years, I could live an 80k/year lifestyle for many years. At 100k, I'd have to get a real world job after those same 10 years. That's a lot of pressure for a family. Especially when the bread winner only knows a GAME.

Their salaries will be going down, or disappearing entirely. Obama outlined in a speech at U of Michigan early this year his plan to modify the Affordability in Higher Education Act. It will require colleges to keep their tuition cost increases below a set level, or they will lose their federal funding, including aid grants. A number of universities and colleges have already elimininated tennis and other sports that produce negative revenue and create expenses for the schools. More will follow in this course when they start to see their federal grants threatened. Sounds a little heavy handed but I give Obama props for this one, as higher education has simply become unaffordable for too many. The growth of competition from online education will also lead colleges to eliminate money losing programs like the minor sports.

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Tennis programs have been drop from college sports since the 80's. Tennis, for the post part does not generate revenue. The college Peter Smith, head coach USC, played at, Cal-State Univ. Long Beach, has not had a men's team in years.

The D1 tennis coaches in our town get a free, new model car to drive. According to one of the car dealership owners, this is common through out the US for D1 coaches for all sports.

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Yes, all head coaches at Florida get dealer car from Buick. The Buick dealer gets a considerable amount of season tickets to football and basketball in return as well as advertising.

Coaches also get cash bonuses for SEC titles and National titles. They also get a good payout for camps, but some coaches waive most of that so assistants can get more. Nike also gives plenty of clothing and shoe allowances.

So it would be reasonable to assume that Bryan and Roland get about $12k in car, $10k from camp, $5k in clothing and Roland probably banked another $40k in championship bonuses. On top of a 150+ base, they are living comfortably. Those amounts are not even close to CEO perks and benefits. Yet these folks live a very public and scrutinized life.

Yes, all head coaches at Florida get dealer car from Buick. The Buick dealer gets a considerable amount of season tickets to football and basketball in return as well as advertising.

Coaches also get cash bonuses for SEC titles and National titles. They also get a good payout for camps, but some coaches waive most of that so assistants can get more. Nike also gives plenty of clothing and shoe allowances.

So it would be reasonable to assume that Bryan and Roland get about $12k in car, $10k from camp, $5k in clothing and Roland probably banked another $40k in championship bonuses. On top of a 150+ base, they are living comfortably. Those amounts are not even close to CEO perks and benefits. Yet these folks live a very public and scrutinized life.

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lol please dont compare a NCAA college tennis coach to a CEO, big schools are paid wayyyyy too much! and mid major and 3rd tier d1 school coaches make total crap!, i guess if you can find a solid deal its around 40k a year

My comparison between a D1 coach and a CEO merely illustrates that "salary" isnt everything. Most people will only get their "salary" and that's it. Lucky people will get medical/dental for them and their family, life for themselves, and a basic 401k with job security.

Not many people will be able to understand a 6 figure base salary; profit sharing; expense accounts; benefits; compensatory, severance, early termination clauses; and bonuses, as part of a "pay package".

This, combined with the experience he's gained in this position, qualifies him for some cush job at a country club as the resident pro once hes tired of the "tour" lifestyle.

"Pro" at a "country club" at 65 years old, base salary of 85k to sit in an office, and then do privates every once in a while for $85/h 2-3 times a week.

lol please dont compare a NCAA college tennis coach to a CEO, big schools are paid wayyyyy too much! and mid major and 3rd tier d1 school coaches make total crap!, i guess if you can find a solid deal its around 40k a year

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I illustrated how they are paid significantly less than a CEO, yet live a public and scrutinized lifestyle. And they run a similar risk of having worked their last job, ever. I take it you didn't study Econ? It's the theory that's the same, but the values are disproportionate.

Not sure who would do it for 40k. You could give lessons at a local park and earn that in a year.

mid major and 3rd tier d1 school coaches make total crap!, i guess if you can find a solid deal its around 40k a year

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Yeah Florida, USC, Illinois, these are the big-time programs with huge budgets. Mid-major and small DI you might see more part-time coaches who still teach at a club on the side or one full-time head coach/director that handles both the men's and women's teams, and they rely heavily on assistant/associate coaches or graduate assistants.

What about all the members she or he has to keep happy? That's probably most of the reason he gets 'so PAID'!

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Agree, I don't think many high level college coaches desire to be country club pros giving clinics to grandmas. Maybe a lower tier coach would milk it, but the big shots want to be working with high level players.

So, school has to decide if they want the best coach or not. If yea, it takes a big check. If no, they won't get the best. Simple "arms race" theory.

Agree, I don't think many high level college coaches desire to be country club pros giving clinics to grandmas. Maybe a lower tier coach would milk it, but the big shots want to be working with high level players.

So, school has to decide if they want the best coach or not. If yea, it takes a big check. If no, they won't get the best. Simple "arms race" theory.

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Some would like, some would not. Mats Wilander gets a blast running around the country in a Winnebago giving lessons to clubbers. Of course he will never be hurting for money I suppose. Unless you're business savvy like Bjorn Borg.

Anyway, my point it do what you enjoy if you have the luxury of doing that. Most of us don't.

I was offered the head coach position at UMKC (University of Missouri-Kansas City) about 10 years ago. They're D1. The job paid nothing. That's right, it paid $0.00 per year. However, they offered to allow me to get my Masters for free there.

I was offered the head coach position at UMKC (University of Missouri-Kansas City) about 10 years ago. They're D1. The job paid nothing. That's right, it paid $0.00 per year. However, they offered to allow me to get my Masters for free there.

Yeah, I don't know. That's a good question. I would assume they'll just find someone else to come in. I've never seen a coach last longer than 2 years there. Like I said, I had three friends take the job to get their degrees and then hightail it out of there. One guy I actually can't believe they hired. He was one of the most unorganized people I've ever met. One year he took the men's and women's team to play another school. However, he failed to do actually ask the other coach if they had both a men's and women's team. Turns out they only had a women's team. Another time he took the teams to go play another school out of state and it turned out that the match was scheduled in KC.

I would imagine that a good salesman could come in and convince them to pay up pending good results. But, they have no real direct revenue stream there. They're under the University of Missouri tree, so that's where much of their athletic funding comes from. There is no football to bring in $$, and it's a school located right in the middle of Kansas City; which is less than 90 minutes from KU, MU, and K-State. This renders UMKC a glorified JUCO. Due to these factors, there isn't a real sense of "college" there.

It's really a strange university. It's nice, and has one of the only dental schools around, but it's kind of a last resort type school. A place you go if you don't go to KU, MU, or K-State. A place for athletes who aren't good enough for solid D1, or who don't want to pay good D2.

Yes, all head coaches at Florida get dealer car from Buick. The Buick dealer gets a considerable amount of season tickets to football and basketball in return as well as advertising.

Coaches also get cash bonuses for SEC titles and National titles. They also get a good payout for camps, but some coaches waive most of that so assistants can get more. Nike also gives plenty of clothing and shoe allowances.

So it would be reasonable to assume that Bryan and Roland get about $12k in car, $10k from camp, $5k in clothing and Roland probably banked another $40k in championship bonuses. On top of a 150+ base, they are living comfortably. Those amounts are not even close to CEO perks and benefits. Yet these folks live a very public and scrutinized life.

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Coming from an old college head coach...I think there is a lot of presuming and assuming going on here. I think because the football and basketball coach gets it you assume the tennis coach gets lubed up too, but I laugh. My last base salary was $45k down here in Texas at a D3. That did not include any money I earned from camps, lessons, etc. Here's the situation that a lot of tennis coaches (and smaller sports college administrators) get caught up in...as secondary duties that fall on you. Much depends on your AD/administrative leader. If they are awesome, then it's a great situation and you can thrive and do well. I did a few years. I'll explain lower down, but first let me explain how it usually happens that the coach can not thrive. You may be teaching Kinesiology classes (whether a joke or not, time consuming)...you may be "paper whipped" by administrators above you that want everything in triplicate...you may be attending meeting after meeting that are non-sense but are "important"...you are still doing all the same coaching things to make you team better or try and make you team better while you have people at your school sucking the life out of your program and facility. They start to fight over your revenue, camps, and lessons until you say crap I'd rather not do it because after I funnel my money thru 30 hands who didn't do anything and they can't explain what their cut % was and when it's paying, then blah blah...sooner or later you just say screw it. It gets tough to maintain a family. Coaching is a job...it's a blessing because it's sports and we all love this sport and we dream of getting paid to play a game and do something all our lives "playing". I was blessed. I did what literally millions wish they could...coach college athletics. It's tough though. I spent my own money (my wife and kid's money) to help other kids have more or get better stuff (when people like some on here said "should have made a $1"...what an insult). You sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice...because you love the game...and like for me I love the competition of building the team. I loved the team dynamic...it was fun!!! Was it worth trading my family? No, I did it though. Was that worth a $1? Would you trade the long hours you work at __________ for $1? Would you want to be disrespected? These men or women put themselves out in front and are abused because they happened to be good enough to be out front. When they get nervous, all they have to say to themselves is "I am doing something no one else can do". I have gone on a bit of a rant here...first time in a long time, but have some respect people. Some of you have no idea how tough it is or how much sacrifice is made so that those student-athletes can simply put on a uniform and play, so they can get in a van and drive 250 miles and play, so they can eat that cruddy sub sandwich and play. Learn some respect...
As I said, if you have a great AD, then you are rested and the secondary duties are just that...secondary. You handle your team and they clearly say..."go make some extra money for yourself and your program". You can and do...even down here at a smaller program that hadn't been successful prior to my time...I was making an extra $15-20K a year. That helped me a lot. It helped our program become nationally ranked. As things changed, it got much tougher...I talked about our administration being "blockers or lineman" (we're in football country, go figure)...they can either get out in front and block for you to get obstacles out of your way (at your high school or college or any business), or they can fall down in front of you and become another obstacle to get around or go over...I had to deal with that kind at the end...many people do unfortunately. When the secondary duties start piling up and taking precedence and believe me, they can (keeping scorebook for basketball would be ranked over my tennis practice), an issue with pool would rank over tennis, being a "game day administrator" at pick a sport during my season every week atleast once to twice pulling you out of practice. Every sport but yours has an assistant...the list goes on and on. Sooner or later you get tired and when you start weighing out...do I do the EXTRA CAMP or the LESSON or the answer becomes no.

Some would like, some would not. Mats Wilander gets a blast running around the country in a Winnebago giving lessons to clubbers. Of course he will never be hurting for money I suppose. Unless you're business savvy like Bjorn Borg.

Anyway, my point it do what you enjoy if you have the luxury of doing that. Most of us don't.

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Actually, the "helper" drives the Winnebago all over the country and Wilander flies in to do the clinic and pick up the large bag of money. Good work if you can get it.

I know coaches on the east coast who are calling recruits at 1:00 AM because that is when it is good for the recruit on the west coast, then turn around and make a 8:00 AM call to another recruit from their office. Every college coach that I know is trying to juggle 5 or 6 recruits and getting inquiries from another 50 that they are not interested in. The better coaches do their homework on every player because just because he may not be interested in a certain player, that player may have a younger sibling that they may be interested in the fututre. The thought that coaches get a down time is pretty funny.

Everybody thinks that coaches do nothing all Summer.

Most tennis camps rim for 4 weeks in the Summer, that go from Sunday-Wednesday. Those are 15 hours a day from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. They take Thursdays off and then head off to see players play tournaments on Friday and Saturday and then head back Saturday night to get ready for the next group of campers.

Then comes the month of July, when they are finally allowed to call Seniors and talk to them once a week. Stupid NCAA rule but I don't want to get into that. There are National Opens, Regionals, Clay Courts and Zonals thrown in there. I think that is enough said.

Then comes August. The supernationals and finalizing the team's Spring schedule for the upcoming year. Making sure all your current players are healthy and setting up official visits for September.

In the mean time the coaches have to stay fit, maintain their tennis skills, keep a marriage going, spend time with their kids and figure out a time to take vacation with their families. Why don't the families go with them to the tournaments? One reason is because thanks to our legal system, once a coach leaves on recruiting visit it constitues as a work situation. That means that the company they work for is responsible for anybody in the car. Let's just say the coach pays for the trip on his own and it is an actual vacation and he is just going to stop in and see a couple of matches. How many spouses are going to be that understanding when a routine 1.5 hour match turns into a 3 hour marathon match? All while the kids are waiting to go to the beach or the water park.

Coming from an old college head coach...I think there is a lot of presuming and assuming going on here. I think because the football and basketball coach gets it you assume the tennis coach gets lubed up too, but I laugh. My last base salary was $45k down here in Texas at a D3. That did not include any money I earned from camps, lessons, etc. Here's the situation that a lot of tennis coaches (and smaller sports college administrators) get caught up in...as secondary duties that fall on you. Much depends on your AD/administrative leader. If they are awesome, then it's a great situation and you can thrive and do well. I did a few years. I'll explain lower down, but first let me explain how it usually happens that the coach can not thrive. You may be teaching Kinesiology classes (whether a joke or not, time consuming)...you may be "paper whipped" by administrators above you that want everything in triplicate...you may be attending meeting after meeting that are non-sense but are "important"...you are still doing all the same coaching things to make you team better or try and make you team better while you have people at your school sucking the life out of your program and facility. They start to fight over your revenue, camps, and lessons until you say crap I'd rather not do it because after I funnel my money thru 30 hands who didn't do anything and they can't explain what their cut % was and when it's paying, then blah blah...sooner or later you just say screw it. It gets tough to maintain a family. Coaching is a job...it's a blessing because it's sports and we all love this sport and we dream of getting paid to play a game and do something all our lives "playing". I was blessed. I did what literally millions wish they could...coach college athletics. It's tough though. I spent my own money (my wife and kid's money) to help other kids have more or get better stuff (when people like some on here said "should have made a $1"...what an insult). You sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice...because you love the game...and like for me I love the competition of building the team. I loved the team dynamic...it was fun!!! Was it worth trading my family? No, I did it though. Was that worth a $1? Would you trade the long hours you work at __________ for $1? Would you want to be disrespected? These men or women put themselves out in front and are abused because they happened to be good enough to be out front. When they get nervous, all they have to say to themselves is "I am doing something no one else can do". I have gone on a bit of a rant here...first time in a long time, but have some respect people. Some of you have no idea how tough it is or how much sacrifice is made so that those student-athletes can simply put on a uniform and play, so they can get in a van and drive 250 miles and play, so they can eat that cruddy sub sandwich and play. Learn some respect...
As I said, if you have a great AD, then you are rested and the secondary duties are just that...secondary. You handle your team and they clearly say..."go make some extra money for yourself and your program". You can and do...even down here at a smaller program that hadn't been successful prior to my time...I was making an extra $15-20K a year. That helped me a lot. It helped our program become nationally ranked. As things changed, it got much tougher...I talked about our administration being "blockers or lineman" (we're in football country, go figure)...they can either get out in front and block for you to get obstacles out of your way (at your high school or college or any business), or they can fall down in front of you and become another obstacle to get around or go over...I had to deal with that kind at the end...many people do unfortunately. When the secondary duties start piling up and taking precedence and believe me, they can (keeping scorebook for basketball would be ranked over my tennis practice), an issue with pool would rank over tennis, being a "game day administrator" at pick a sport during my season every week atleast once to twice pulling you out of practice. Every sport but yours has an assistant...the list goes on and on. Sooner or later you get tired and when you start weighing out...do I do the EXTRA CAMP or the LESSON or the answer becomes no.

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D3 is not the same as a big time D1 like the op inquired about. Different levels of expectation and thus different level of compensation.

D3 is not the same as a big time D1 like the op inquired about. Different levels of expectation and thus different level of compensation.

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Ha...competitive college tennis is competitive college tennis. We are talking about full-time paid coaching positions either way...you are speaking from an outsider's perspective. Live it for a little while then try to catch a stone that is being thrown.

Ha...competitive college tennis is competitive college tennis. We are talking about full-time paid coaching positions either way...you are speaking from an outsider's perspective. Live it for a little while then try to catch a stone that is being thrown.

If the men's coaches at Oregon and Arizona make over $1 that's what I call being over paid.

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Our men's coach is awful, our men's team is awful. The women's program isn't very good either. Atleast we have some decent players on the men's team, just not with good mental tools to get through a match. The talent is DEFINITELY there. I've seen them hit a few times.

Ha...competitive college tennis is competitive college tennis. We are talking about full-time paid coaching positions either way...you are speaking from an outsider's perspective. Live it for a little while then try to catch a stone that is being thrown.

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Full time paid head coaching positions are completely different at a D1 level vs. D3.

Actually, the "helper" drives the Winnebago all over the country and Wilander flies in to do the clinic and pick up the large bag of money. Good work if you can get it.

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That is what I read. The assistant finds the next convenient place to stay, and makes the arrangements, while Wilander flies out for his other commitments and family. Then he flies back and rejoins the RV for a few days.